It Couldn't Hurt
by Sorry It's Too Late
Summary: Clint Barton leaves the Avengers to find peace, but he doesn't realize how much Natasha Romanoff loves him. He's gone, she's frantic, how will this affect the rest of the team? BlackHawk! I stink at summaries, please review! I live off of reviews!
1. Chapter 1

**Enjoy! Please Read and Review! Reviews are necessary for this story's survival!**

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It shouldn't hurt, it couldn't hurt, it **did** hurt.

Why did his feelings always hurt him?

Why couldn't he be fearless?

Why couldn't he stay strong?

Why didn't he fight it, the control?

Why did he hurt?

Why? Why? Why?

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Clint Barton looked at the beautiful face of his partner, Natasha Romanoff. She would be pissed at him. She wouldn't understand that he had no choice. Clint drank in the image of her eyes then walked out of the door without a glance back at his sleeping friend, more then friend, honestly.

Clint walked out of the Stark Tower and disappeared into the crowd. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't be able to find him. He needed peace from this crazy life. There was no better time to disappear than now.

_Goodbye, Natasha._


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks you for all the followers for this story that I got. I still can't believe it... **

**By the way, I'm setting a tentative schedule of two chapters per week, at least for this story.**

**REVIEW! ****Enjoy! **

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Natasha woke up and felt like something was missing. She looked around. Clint was nowhere to be seen. This wasn't unusual. He often sat up on the roof early morning and sometimes all through the night, to hide from his nightmares. She stood up and pulled on a coat and a pair of jeans, more comfortable clothes to head to the roof than her sleeping clothes. She opened the door, glanced around, then walked out into the empty hallway.

From the noises coming from the rooms, Natasha guessed that everyone was asleep. She snuck silently past the rooms, watching for the tell-tale signs of creaky floorboards. The door to the roof was closed, but a cold draft blew from in-between the door and the floor and walls. Natasha looked on the sight in confusion. A note was stuck in the crack between the door and the wall, as well as a small, thin folder. That accounted for the draft, but why was there a note and folder up by the door to the roof? Natasha shook her head and opened the folder. The was official looking paper work. Some were marked with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s insignia. One of the them, the first one she looked at, said something about Clint Barton officially resigning from S.H.I.E.L.D. Natasha quickly flipped to the note that had come with the folder.

_Dear Natasha,  
I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye, but I need time. Time to clear out this crazy mess  
of thoughts that are running through my head. I'll be back as soon as I can, but don't expect me back  
anytime soon, okay?  
-Hawkeye_

Natasha's eyes welled up with the first tears that she had shed in a long time. They dripped down her cheeks in a steady flow, and she didn't even notice the sun rising high up in the sky or the rest of the Avengers calling for her and Clint. She looked up at Steve with red, tear-stained eyes as he barged through the hallway towards her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, genuinely concerned. Natasha tried to speak, but she couldn't find her voice. She just lifted the folder up and showed in to Steve. His eyes widened as he flipped through the pages. "He left? When?" he demanded. Natasha just shook her head. Then Tony came running up, then Bruce. they both listened as Steve told them the news. Bruce just shook his head sadly, but Tony decided to make a snide remark.

"Your little bird finally flew the nest?"

Natasha eyes widened and she jumped up. Tony backed up, seeing the dangerous glint in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Nat. I'm just pissed."

Natasha grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder so he landed on his back. Steve stepped forward to help, but she sent him back with a deadly glare. She then turned to Tony.

"Insult him again, and next time I'll take your life, understand?" Tony nodded, his eyes wide with fear. Natasha turned away and started to walk down the hallway. "Oh, one more thing. Call me Nat again and you'll be missing something very valuable to you."

Steve, Tony, and Bruce watched in shock as the deadly red-head strolled out of the hallway. None of the men knew what to do next.

"So, what now?" Bruce asked mildly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks SO much for the reviews, follows, and favorites! It means SO much to me. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

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Natasha ran through the hallways, down the winding path to the floor level, and out of the building that was making her feel, for the first time in her life, claustrophobic. Her heart felt like it had stopped working, and her mind was scrambled.

"Clint?" She cried out into the crowd, oblivious to the stares she was receiving. "Clint, where are you?"

Then Natasha took off running, looking for Clint.

She found herself in the middle of a park much later. She had no idea how she had gotten there, but she didn't care. As long as she was away from the others...

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"Natasha?" Steve called out. He and the rest of the Avengers were combing the building, looking for the master assassin. "We just want to talk.

"She's not in the building." Tony said, walking up from behind Steve. "She left three hours ago."

"How do you know?" Steve asked curiously.

"I'm magical, no, I asked Jarvis if she'd left."

"And he said yes?" Steve asked.

"Duh!" Tony exclaimed. "Go find the others and tell them to come to the dining room for a meeting, now."

Steve nodded and walked towards where he had last seen Bruce.

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"And welcome to our first official Avengers meeting," Tony began," Today we have Steve, Bruce, and Pepper. Our agenda is to discuss the absence of Clint and Natasha."

"Tony, be more sympathetic! Natasha just lost her partner, maybe for forever!" Pepper said angrily.

"But in Clint's note he said he'd be back eventually, once he'd sorted everything out." Steve reminded them.

"Steve, I don't know about back in your day, but nowadays, eventually usually means never." Tony said dryly.

"But-" Steve started.

"Steve, Tony, let's focus on the problem at hand, okay?" Pepper said. "Bruce, any ideas?"

Bruce, who had been sitting at the table with his eyes closed, sighed. "No, we should just wait for them to come back in their own time. Clint and Natasha are both fully capable of hiding from S.H.I.E.L.D., or us, easily if they try. We should let them sort this out themselves."

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**Question, do you guys want an update on Clint or should I just continue with Natasha and the other Avengers?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Review and enjoy!**

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Clint sighed. He had quickly boarded the plane with absolutely nothing. No phone, no baggage, nothing. He was going to France, where he had an apartment waiting for him.

Leaving Nat had been so hard, even though he knew he needed to. he could have a relapse into the controlled freak he had been, and he couldn't do that, he couldn't risk hurting Natasha. That would kill him.

"Please buckle your seat-belts, we are beginning our descent." The captain's calm voice broke Clint out of his thoughts and into the present. He quickly buckled himself and looked around. No-one was staring at him, so he assumed he hadn't said anything out-loud on accident. He felt a thud as the plane gently touched the ground.

2 hours later, Clint finally arrived at his apartment. He flipped the switch and illuminated the main room. A woman sat on the couch. She was tall, with dirty blond hair and dark blue eyes.

"Hello, Clint." She said in her mesmerizing voice.

"Anastasia Montoni." Clint said coldly.

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**Just a really short chapter focusing on Clint.**

**Question: Do you guys think I'm a girl or a boy? Just curious! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**If you ask any questions in reviews, I will soon be answering them via P.M.**

**Thanks to all... **

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Bruce walked through the hallways, sighing. The other guy was tired of lying dormant inside him, watching Bruce do the same thing every day. Bruce didn't blame him. He agreed with the other guy. His life was full of routine and boring, but that was the way he liked it. No unwanted surprise or excitement.

Clint and Natasha disappearing had also brought out the other guy, so he was being careful to stay out of the excitement.

"Bruce?" Steve asked suddenly from right behind Bruce. Bruce felt the other guy seizing this opportunity. He felt his muscles enlarge, everything enlarge. He was pushed back to watch as the Hulk took over his body.

"Bruce...?" Steve asked again. Then he was Bruce start to turn. "Stark!" He yelled into his communicator. "Bruce is changing. We need to evacuate."

*Okay.* Stark's voice crackled in over the communicator. *You got that, Pepper?* He asked.

*Yes.* Pepper said. She sounded out of breath, so Steve assumed she was already getting out.

Steve turned and started to run down the hallway while Bruce was struggling against the Hulk. He ran to the stairs and started to jump down them, one story at a time.

"Tony, Pepper, you guys out?" He asked.

*Yeah, we took a car to get away. You good?* Tony's voice crackled over the transmitter.

"Yeah, almost out." Steve answered. "I don't know where the Hulk is, though."

Almost as in response to what Captain America said, the Stark, or Avenger, Tower's windows shattered as the Hulk roared in fury. He leaped through the building to another, killing at random.

"Bruce... No..." Steve whispered as he watched what the peaceful, calm man had become.

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Natasha heard the earth-breaking roar that she recognized as the Hulk. She stayed in her comfortable seat against the tree. She just wanted to waste away, but she had a promise from Clint. A promise that he would come back. Come back stronger. He couldn't come back to find her dead, right? That would kill her one true love. No, she would stay strong, so that when Clint Barton returned, she could tell him what she had been hiding for years. And kill him for leaving.

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**Fan Challenge!**

**Design a character to be Anastasia Montoni's henchman. Male or female, any race, anything. I'll pick whoever I like most.**

** Remember:**

**1) Anastasia Montoni is evil, so maybe her henchman (or woman) is reluctant to do what she says.**

**2) You must add personality, looks, estimated age, weapon of choice, etc.**

**3) BE DESCRIPTIVE!**

**-Fang**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow, already on chapter 6! Look how the time flies! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been**

**1) Addicted to Doctor Who**

**2) Couldn't get on the computer**

**3) Been sick. Threw up, haven't eaten barely anything in two days, still hungry... You know.**

**I'm still a bit sick now, so... If my writing stinks, blame it on sickness. Anyways, onto chapter six!**

**-Fang**

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**_Henchwoman of Anastasia Montoni:_**

_Name: Alexandria Monroe. Alex to those who know her well enough. Young, maybe as young as sixteen, preferring to use her fists as opposed to weapons. She still has a rebel streak in her and does not always agree with her boss' choices. Pretty, with black hair that goes to her shoulders and emerald green eyes. She is sarcastic at times and very intelligent. She loves using her knowledge against people. She is insanely skilled in hand to hand combat learning from a past as a runaway on the streets. She works with Montoni because Montoni blackmailed her into it. She paints when she has the chance and laughs at people that think she can't take care of herself. She wants to be able to get away from Montoni someday and become an artist. She ran away from her family when she was ten after an argument (I'll leave you to elaborate on that) and hasn't gone back, though she sometimes thinks she should. She is rather tall- about five seven and thin- and can use a gun when she thinks it necessary. She doesn't wear another other than jeans and a tee-shirt and turns her nose up at high heels and dresses or skirts. She has a habit of snapping at people when they mention her family or what happened to her when she was on the streets. She keeps a picture of her little brother with her, him being the one that she misses the most. I love your story, by the way._

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"Anastasia Montoni" Clint repeated, glaring at the woman. "Back so soon? And you brought a friend." He said, gesturing at the other woman in the shadows. She was tall, maybe five seven, with shoulder-length black hair and emerald green eyes. "Who's this?"

"No one, just my servant." Anastasia responded, flipping her long, blonde hair out of her face. Dangerous blue eyes glared at him. "But what about you? You left me. I waited months for you to come back. Then I hear about you on the news, saving the world. With the Black Widow." At her last sentence, Anastasia laced her words with even more venom then before.

"Anastasia, you know I never had a thing for you." Clint reminded the angry woman.

"Maybe, but I loved you with all of my heart and soul, and you left me lying in the dirt for a Russian slut!" Anastasia shouted.

"Ms. Montoni, I really think we should be leaving." The girl with black hair quietly reminded her mistress. "He is trying to get near the window to escape."

"She's a clever little girl, I'll give you that. Where'd you take her from and what'd you do to get her to help?" Clint asked curiously, surprised that the girl had noticed.

"Just from the streets. Now come with me, or I'll kill you. I know that you aren't connected to S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore, so don't give me any if that bullshit."

Clint sighed and let the woman with a gun lead him out as he desperately tried to think of a plan where he could escape without getting shot.

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**I'm so happy! My parakeet has been sitting on her eggs for maybe... three weeks and one of them hatched! I named it Stephen. :D**

**-Fang**


	7. Chapter 7

**No annoying author's note today. Just straight to the story.**

**-Fang**

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"Run!" Steve commanded the civilians who were just standing there, some taking pictures on their video-phone. Steve couldn't believe them. In the face of danger they just took out their phones and video-taped it. "Get out of here!"

He turned on the radio. "Tony, you okay?"

*Yeah. Monitoring our green friend now.* Tony's voice crackled over the radio. *Can you use Nat's tracker to go find her? We need her help.*

"On my way." Steve said, activating the tracker. He ran in the general direction of it. A park.

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Natasha lifted up her head as she heard footsteps break the calm of the forest. A man. They were too light to be Tony's or Bruce's, so it was Steve.

"Steve?" She called out.

"Yes?" His voice responded as he appeared in the clearing.

"I'm going to go find Clint. Don't follow me or I'll resign from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers." Natasha said quietly, watching Steve carefully.

"Natasha, we need you, Bruce has Hulked out-"

"How am I supposed to help you with that? I can't calm him down... Nobody can."

"But you could just help in general..."

"Steve, you're losing this argument and we both know it." Natasha said, standing up. "I need to go find Clint. Tell the others where I've gone."

"Natasha!" Steve yelled at her retreating form in vain.

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**Two Hours Later...**

"...But I am really sorry." Bruce ended, looking around at the Avengers assembled around him.

"Sorry doesn't cut it. You're lucky nobody died." Steve said, butting in at the end of Bruce's speech. All the other 'super-heroes' gathered around him looked just as pissed as he did. The Hulk could've killed thousands of people.

Suddenly, the giant window shattered and shards of glass flew everywhere. A tall man flew in.

"Mytrx" Thor growled.

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**Better chapter coming soon. Sorry for the long wait for a crappy chap. Life is taking all of my minutes right now. **

**BTW: Mytrx is pronounced my-trix, trix like the cereal.**

**Thanks for your soon to come love in reviews (right?)!**

**-Fang**


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